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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium and Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Present Data On SNS-032 At American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting

[Source Genetic Engineering News] - The Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC) in collaboration with Sunesis Pharmaceuticals presented preclinical data on the activity of Sunesis' cell cycle inhibitor, SNS-032, in multiple myeloma cell assays and animal models. The data was presented orally at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.

Suzanne Trudel, MD, Assistant Professor, University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, Canada, and Project Leader for the MMRC Validation Team, which performed the studies, presented data showing that SNS-032 demonstrated growth inhibitory effects in different multiple myeloma cell lines as well as myeloma cells prepared from patient samples. In addition, SNS-032 demonstrated activity in a transgenic animal model with multiple myeloma characteristics similar to those observed in humans. These studies, resulting from extensive collaborative efforts between the MMRC, Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute and Sunesis demonstrated preclinical, single-agent activity of SNS-032 in multiple myeloma and support its further investigation as a potential therapeutic candidate. SNS-032, a potent and selective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 2, 7 and 9, is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or multiple myeloma.

"Sunesis is proud to collaborate with the MMRC and the Validation Team to advance this important clinical program in the quest for a cure for multiple myeloma. It highlights the importance of collaborations between industry and oncology field experts in order to more rapidly and appropriately evaluate new treatments for cancer therapy," said Rachael Hawtin, PhD, Associate Director, Biology, Sunesis.

The MMRC Validation Team, composed of leading myeloma scientists from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic-Scottsdale, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and UHN, tests compounds in a variety of multiple myeloma cell-based systems and animal models. The team represents a unique research and development model, typically not included in foundation activities, with the major goal of prioritizing compounds to enter myeloma clinical trials by testing their preclinical activity in myeloma specific systems.

"The team is very encouraged by the success of the first project to enter the MMRC validation model and the selection of this research as an oral presentation at the AACR. The results demonstrate modest single agent activity in mice," says Dr. Trudel